Afraid In The Dark
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Illustration:
As a child, most of us were afraid of the dark. Because we couldn’t see and because we had imaginiative minds, sometimes we thought that monsters were hiding there in the dark.
When we would become afraid, the remedy that we’d often resort to was either pulling the blanket over your head or putting the pillow over your head.
I guess, as children we learned the old saying, out of sight out of mind.
One thing that we did not realize is that even if something were to be in the room, putting a pillow over your head or pulling the covers over your head does not negate the fact that something could still be there.
Now, there are many people today who have spiritually pulled the covers over their head. They are no longer concerned about their souls. They get uncomfortable when they hear preachers talk about the possibility of lifting up their eyes in Hell.
So what happens, number one they stop going to church. They don’t want to hear about God and they don’t want to hear about judgement.
The second thing that happens is that there are others that will seek out preachers that cater to their every want and desire. The seek out and listen to preachers that will tell them smooth things, that it is okay for you to live any type of way and that you’re still going to make it into the kingdom of God.
Symbolically and metaphorically, they have pulled the sheets over their head.
But the reality that they must face is that everyone will stand before the judgement seat of Christ to give an account of the things done in their body.
The reality that they must face is that only the righteous shall enter into the kingdom of God.
The scriptures declare that you have to strive, you have to work hard to enter God’s kingdom.
Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.
“Work hard to enter the narrow door to God’s Kingdom, for many will try to enter but will fail.
Then the Lord says:
When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are:
Prior to our text, a question was asked the LORD “Lord, will only a few be saved?”
Jesus’ reply is that the way into the kingdom is a narrow way.
The truth of the matter is that holiness without, no man shall see the LORD.
This is why Paul encourages the church:
So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses.
When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
And again, the word of God says:
Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.
And the truth of the matter is that unless you believe the gospel and repent you are on your way to the Lake of Fire.
If you never come back to church, that reality still remains, if you join a church where the preacher never preaches about the possibility of judgement and the lake of fire, it still remains.
If you block me out today and ignore what the LORD has given me to give you.....the possibility of damnation still exists!
THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN BE SAVED IS TO TURN TO JESUS!!! THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN BE SAVED IS TO SURRENDER YOUR LIFE TO JESUS AND BELIEVE IN THE GOSPEL!!!
THE GOSPEL IS THE GOOD NEWS!!!
There was only one thing that gave us comfort in the darkness as children. That was light that shined in the darkness.
As long as Momma or Daddy plugged up the night light in our rooms, as long as the lamp remained on, we would be alright.
I’ve come to tell you this morning that JESUS IS THE LIGHT!!! HE IS THE LIGHT THAT SHINES IN THE DARKNESS!!!
Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
When you are in darkness you can’t see you’re way. When you are darkness you stumble and you can fall.
When you live a life apart from God.....YOU ARE LIVING IN DARKNESS!!! When you live a life that opposes the will of God.....YOU ARE LIVING IN DARKNESS!!!
AND EVENTUALLY JESUS HIMSELF SAID THAT THOSE THAT OPPOSE GOD, THOSE THAT LIVE FOR THEMSELVES AND NOT GOD WILL BE CAST INTO OUTER DARKNESS WHERE THERE WILL BE WEEPING AND NASHING OF TEETH!!!
As a preacher, I don’t understand how you can be a preacher and never preach on the realities of hell and the lake of fire.
Jesus himself often preached and taught on the subject.
But the reason why we don’t hear it often is because there are some people that care more about money going in their pocket than about souls being saved. They care more about how many people follow them and how popular they are rather than about pulling people out of the fire.
And saints of God that is what we have to do. Jude says we need to save people by pulling them out of the fire!!!
I enjoyed the message from Bishop last Sunday. He preached from a book that many people don’t fool with. And one of the reasons people don’t fool with the book of Revelation is because they are afraid of it. They get real uncomfortable when they read about the end times.
But how will you know what to expect if you don’t take the time to study what God’s word says about the end times?
If you walk in the LIGHT......you should not be afraid of the darkness that surrounds us!!!!
IF YOU WALK IN THE LIGHT.....YOU SHOULD NOT FEAR!!! IF YOU WALK IN THE LIGHT YOU SHOULD NOT BE AFRAID OF DEATH!!!
BECAUSE TO BE ABSENT IN THE BODY IS TO BE PRESENT WITH THE LORD!!!
It is a human attribute for us not to want to suffer. But when it comes to the end of life......IF WE ARE WALKING IN THE LIGHT AND WALKING WITH THE LORD JESUS CHRIST......WE OUGHT NOT BE AFRAID TO DIE, BECAUSE IF I DIE.....MY SOUL IS RETURNING TO IT’S MAKER!!!
But if you are living in SIN!!! If you have not given your life to Jesus....IF YOU HAVE NOT BELIEVED THE GOSPEL, REPENTED OF YOUR SINS, BEEN BAPTIZED IN JESUS’ NAME AND FILLED WITH THE HOLY GHOST......YOU OUGHT TO BE AFRAID.
BUT DON’T JUST BE AFRAID......DO SOMETHING ABOUT YOUR SITUATION......MAKE YOUR PEACE WITH GOD......REPENT......REPENT......REPENT, CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD AND BE SAVED!!!